Handwriting Without Tears
A developmental, multisensory handwriting curriculum created by occupational therapist Jan Olsen in 1977. It teaches print from pre-K to 2nd grade and a simple vertical cursive from 2nd grade up, using short workbook lessons, double-line paper and hands-on tools.
What is Handwriting Without Tears?
Handwriting Without Tears is a handwriting curriculum made by Learning Without Tears. Occupational therapist Jan Olsen began it in 1977 to help her son John, who was in tears over handwriting in first grade. Her methods became a therapist's guide and then a full curriculum. In 2018 the company renamed itself Learning Without Tears, but this program kept its original name.
The core idea is to make letters simple. Kids learn a few basic strokes, write on paper with just two lines, and move to a cursive style that stands up straight like print.
How it works
Lessons are one or two workbook pages and usually take 15 minutes or less. In the early grades, the teacher's guide adds hands-on steps before pencil work:
- Build capital letters with Wood Pieces: big lines, little lines, big curves and little curves.
- Practice on a small slate with Wet-Dry-Try. You write a letter in chalk, your child traces it with a wet sponge, dries it, then writes it.
- Write the letter in the workbook, following the numbered stroke order.
A smiley face in the corner of the slate and pages reminds kids to start at the top. Capitals come before lowercase because they're easier to form. Cursive letters are taught in groups that share the same starting stroke.
Parents demonstrate new letters and watch grip and formation. Many homeschoolers find older kids can work mostly on their own.
What it covers
| Grade | Student book | Focus |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K | My First School Book | Readiness and capitals |
| K | Letters and Numbers for Me | Capitals, lowercase, numbers |
| 1 | My Printing Book | Printing, sentences, paragraphs |
| 2 | Printing Power, optional Cursive Kickoff | Fluent print, early cursive |
| 3 | Cursive Handwriting | Learning cursive |
| 4 | Cursive Success | Cursive fluency |
| 5 and up | Can-Do Cursive, Can-Do Print | Mastery and speed |
The 2025 editions are current, and the student books don't line up page for page with older teacher's guides.
Who it's best for
It fits young children starting to write, kids with fine-motor struggles, and families who want short, gentle lessons. It's also a common pick when an OT is involved.
Look elsewhere if you want traditional slanted cursive, such as Zaner-Bloser Handwriting, or handwriting built into a phonics sequence, like Logic of English.
Pricing at a glance
As of October 2026, the official store lists the kindergarten and 1st-grade 2025 student workbooks at $13.50 each. Teacher's guides and manipulatives are extra. The free A+ Worksheet Maker Lite adds custom practice pages.
Can a scholarship or ESA pay for it?
Handwriting books are curriculum, which many education savings accounts allow. See our Arizona ESA guide, Florida scholarship guide and the full list of scholarships for families. Each program sets its own rules. Save Handwriting Without Tears to your wishlist and apply once on Edulist.
How it compares
The classic matchup is Handwriting Without Tears vs Zaner-Bloser: vertical cursive and two lines versus slanted cursive and three-line paper. The Good and the Beautiful and Evan-Moor offer budget handwriting books. For typing after handwriting, Learning Without Tears also sells Keyboarding Without Tears for K–5. Browse more handwriting programs or kindergarten homeschool curriculum.
Who Handwriting Without Tears is for (and who it isn’t)
Best for
- Preschoolers and kindergarteners just starting to form letters
- Kids with fine-motor struggles or who get frustrated by handwriting
- Families who want short, low-prep daily lessons
- Left-handed writers, who benefit from the simple strokes
Look elsewhere if
- Families who want traditional slanted cursive
- Parents who want handwriting built into a phonics program
- Older students needing only a quick cursive refresher
Handwriting Without Tears pros and cons
Pros
- Created by an occupational therapist and widely used by OTs
- Short lessons of 15 minutes or less
- Inexpensive student workbooks
- Simple two-line paper reduces line confusion
- Hands-on tools for tactile learners
Cons
- Vertical cursive looks different from traditional cursive
- Teacher's guides are detailed but dense
- Capitals-first order doesn't match every phonics sequence
- Mixing editions can cause mismatched pages
What’s included
- Grade-by-grade student workbooks from pre-K print through 5th-grade cursive
- Double-line paper with only a base line and mid line
- Vertical (non-slanted) cursive style
- Wet-Dry-Try slate chalkboard and Wood Pieces for building capital letters
- Capitals taught before lowercase in the early grades
- Free A+ Worksheet Maker Lite for custom practice sheets in the HWT font
Handwriting Without Tears levels
| Level | Grades | What it covers |
|---|---|---|
| Pre-K: My First School Book (Get Set for School) | Pre-K | Readiness and capital letters for preschoolers, from the Get Set for School pre-K line that introduced the Mat Man character. |
| Kindergarten: Letters and Numbers for Me | Kindergarten | Capitals, lowercase letters, numbers, words and sentences on wide double lines. |
| 1st grade: My Printing Book | Grade 1 | Printing review plus word, sentence and paragraph practice. |
| 2nd grade: Printing Power (optional Cursive Kickoff) | Grade 2 | Advanced printing on single lines. Cursive Kickoff lets ready students start cursive early. |
| 3rd grade: Cursive Handwriting | Grade 3 | The main move to cursive, taught in letter groups based on how letters are formed. |
| 4th grade: Cursive Success | Grade 4 | Cursive fluency, review pages and grammar practice, with no printing practice. |
| 5th grade and up: Can-Do Cursive and Can-Do Print | 5–6 | Mastery and speed for older students, or for older kids and adults learning cursive for the first time. |
There's no formal test for families. Look at the sample pages for each grade and start where your child can work comfortably. Learning Without Tears says grade levels are suggestions, so 5th-grade books also suit older students working at that level.
Official Handwriting Without Tears placement test ↗How much does Handwriting Without Tears cost?
As of October 2026, the official Learning Without Tears store lists the 2025 student editions of Letters and Numbers for Me (kindergarten) and My Printing Book (1st grade) at $13.50 each. Teacher's guides, the slate chalkboard, Wood Pieces and other manipulatives are sold separately. Homeschool retailers such as Rainbow Resource sell grade bundles, and prices vary by seller and edition.
| Plan | Price | Billed | Per month |
|---|---|---|---|
| Student workbook, 2025 edition (K or 1st grade) | $13.50 | One-time | — |
Prices from the provider, checked 2026-10-13. Always confirm on the official site.
Future opening updates
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View wishlistWhat parents say
A summary of public parent feedback we read on forums, app stores and review sites. It is not a set of Edulist family reviews.
Homeschool parents on The Curriculum Choice describe Handwriting Without Tears as easy to teach, with short lessons that suited children with special needs and left-handed kids. Some found the teacher's guide overwhelming at first, and a few disagree with teaching capitals before lowercase.
Common praise
- Short, easy lessons that young kids can do almost alone
- Worked for kids with special needs and for lefties
- Student books are affordable
Common complaints
- Teacher's guide holds a lot of information to absorb
- Some parents dislike capitals-first instruction
- Some prefer a slanted cursive style
Sources: thecurriculumchoice.com · handwriting without tears
Handwriting Without Tears family reviews
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Handwriting Without Tears FAQs
Is Handwriting Without Tears the same as Learning Without Tears?
Handwriting Without Tears is the handwriting program. Learning Without Tears is the company that makes it; it renamed itself in 2018 to bring its handwriting, pre-K and keyboarding programs under one name. The handwriting books still carry the Handwriting Without Tears name.
What grades does Handwriting Without Tears cover?
Student books run from pre-K through 5th grade, and the company's site lists the program as TK–6. Print is taught in pre-K to 2nd grade, and cursive starts in 2nd or 3rd grade.
How much does Handwriting Without Tears cost for homeschool?
As of October 2026, the official store lists 2025 student workbooks for kindergarten and 1st grade at $13.50 each. A teacher's guide and manipulatives such as the slate chalkboard cost extra, and many homeschoolers buy only the student book after the first year.
Is Handwriting Without Tears cursive slanted?
No. It uses a vertical cursive style, which the company says makes the move from print easier. Families who want traditional slanted cursive often choose another program.
Is Handwriting Without Tears good for kids with dysgraphia or fine-motor delays?
It was created by an occupational therapist and Learning Without Tears says about 80% of OTs use its materials. Its simple strokes and two-line paper help many struggling writers, but talk with your child's OT about specific needs.
Can I make free Handwriting Without Tears worksheets?
Yes. The A+ Worksheet Maker Lite on lwtears.com creates free print and cursive practice pages in the HWT font with grade-appropriate double lines. The company says it's meant for teachers, parents and homeschoolers.
Sources and last checked
Checked 2026-10-13 against these sources: